Wednesday, June 18, 2008




Brooding...


The baby chicks arrived, last week. I have 16 layers and 20 broilers. Actually, I have a straight run of Rhode Island Reds, 6 total, so I might have more than a few roosters. For those less farmy people, a straight run is just whatever hatches at the hatchery, while you can order just pullets- the hens. It costs more to just get hens, so I have a couple sets of those, but I like a rooster around- I think they lay better. And you have to order them in sets of 5. Which got me in trouble, last time. I like a variety of color out there- just like my quilts- and so by the time you order 5 of this type and 5 of that type.... I had 75 chicks arrive!!! Way too many. I was giving eggs away in buckets! So I restrained myself this year. 15 seems mighty meager.
As you can see, they were living in my whirlpool. It was looking like some sort of Frankenstein movie in there- wires and bags and boxes everywhere. The heat lamps made it a sauna and it was something of an ordeal just to go pee. The noise they make is at the same time charming and annoying- lots of peeps and squeaks. Sweet William brought me home a huge pallet box and now all of them are tucked in there and I have reclaimed my bathroom! Might need to take me a soak, today!

9 comments:

Pamela (Peni) Teel said...

Good that your chicks are changing lodgings...how long before they can go outdoors?

It would be too cool for outdoor chicks here today.

I'm off to bind a quilt or two.

XOXOXOXO Mama

Fabricmom said...

How cute are they. Good luck with it all.

Libby said...

They look so sweet and fuzzy.

Lynn Dykstra said...

I grew up with baby chicks in the bathtub too. We would get boxes of live chicks in the mail.
Nothing cuter than a baby chick--and nothing uglier than the pullet stage!

teelduo said...

So now where ya gonna put them. In the same room with Kelly? BAHAHAHAHAHA

Darcie said...

oooooh...so cute! And besides...what's a farm without a rooster...or two or six?!

Hugs from me to you!

Ye Merrie Quilter said...

My friend, Linda, has a 10 acre hobby farm with chickens, and she prefers the Aricaunas and their blue-green eggs. They're also friendlier and tend to stay near the house (and out of the road!) They always seem to arrive at the post office on Sunday, however, so she needs to drive over and pick them up. She also got a stray rooster this year, whom she named Coq au Vin; he just moved in, and she doesn't know where he came from or what breed he is.
Enjoy your peeps!
Karen O
www.merriecuylter.blogspot.com

Sue said...

Awwwww...that brings back memories. It's been years since we've had chicks.
Have you ever had guinea hens? They make a funny noise, I really liked them, mostly because they would circle the house constantly & eat bugs, but they also drop beautiful little dotted feathers that are pretty for crafts.

julieQ said...

What precious little babies! My Mom and I had 100 eggs in an incubator when I was little, and had high hopes...we got two (2) chicks!! So they were precious to us.